Bentham Agricultural Show

The show was held in Bentham Auction Mart and the society would like to thank the directors and staff for their generosity.

President of the show this year was Paul Taylor, who works for P V Dobson and Son. Paul is from a long standing Bentham family – he was educated in Lowgill and has always lived in the Bentham area. His grandad Bryan Taylor was president of the show in the 1980s.

Children were entertained in the top ring by Trevor Cooke with balloon modelling, music and enjoyable performances. Children were busy looking for stickers around the show organised by Churches Together and decorating stones with St John’s Hospice.

There was an increase of trade stands and craft stalls both inside and out.

The president awarded Bentham Golf Club best trade stand outside and Rachel Thornton the best inside and overall trade stand in the show.

There was a great display of vintage tractors, machinery, cars and stationary engines. K Capstick’s farm cart was the judge’s favourite and was awarded the judge’s choice rosette.

The Rough Fell Sheep were welcomed to the show for the first time and they won overall best group, as well as the overall champion sheep of the show.

Cattle entries increased this year. S Mason won the champion commercial beef and R and E Butterfield won the champion Holstein Friesian.

There were fantastic exhibits in all sections from handwriting to Herdwicks, cattle to cakes, pygmy goats to photographs.

Results:

Cattle – Holstein Friesian cattle – Champion: R and E Butterfield; Reserve: R and E Butterfield. Any other dairy breed cattle – Champion: R and E Butterfield. Commercial beef – Champion: S Mason; Reserve: S Mason. Young handler – Champion: A V Price. Most points in cattle section: R and E Butterfield. Herd competition: A H Price and Son.

Sheep – Sheep inter-bred – Supreme champion: T L B and J Knowles (Rough Fell, ewe); Reserve: G Rawsthorne and J Taylor (Blue Faced Leicester, ram lamb). Champion female – T L B and J Knowles (Rough Fell, ewe); Reserve: G Jackson (Mule, shearling). Champion male: G Rawsthorne and J Taylor (Blue Faced Leicester, ram lamb); Reserve: G J and L Taylor (Swaledale, aged ram). Group of Upland sheep: T L B and J Knowles (Rough Fell). Group of Lowland Sheep: G Rawsthorne and J Taylor (Blue Faced Leicester). Overall group of breeding sheep: T L B and J Knowles (Rough Fell). Most points in sheep section: G Rawsthorne and J Taylor.

Teeswater – Champion: J K Gorst and Son (ram shearling or over). Masham – Champion: M Fawcett and Sons (lamb). Black-faced – Champion: Hey and Sons (aged ram). Dalesbred – Champion: S J Wright (gimmer lamb). Swaledale – Champion: G J and L Taylor (aged ram). Suffolk – Champion: W and S Peill (ewe). Mule – Champion: G Jackson (shearling). Blue-Faced Leicester – Champion: G Rawsthorne and J Taylor. Texel – Champion: W and S Peill (ewe). Charollais – Champion: J Stott (gimmer shearling). Beltex – Champion: M and E Jennings (ewe). Herdwick – Champion: F Brennand (ram lamb). Rough Fell – Champion: T L B and J Knowles (ewe). Young handlers – Under 7s: T Whitaker; 7-11 years: H Huddleston; 12-16 years: A Lawson; Overall champion: T Whitaker.

Butcher’s lambs: J and I Whitaker.

Poultry – Champion: P Burns; Reserve: K Hebblethwaite. Soft feather: K Hebblethwaite. Large soft feather: P Burns. Hard feather: P Burns. Large hard feather: J Bellard. Water fowl: K Hebblethwaite. Child’s exhibit: A Burns-Kandler. Eggs: D Johnston. Most points in eggs: K Hebblethwaite.Handicrafts – Most points child’s domestic: L Heron. Most points child’s handwork: C Ellwood. Best exhibit children’s handwriting: M Francis.

Most points adult domestic: V Lawson. Most points adult handwork: M Airey. Best exhibit adult handwork: A Smith. WI most points in handicraft: Giggleswick WI. WI’s five articles on a named theme: High Bentham WI. Most points art: H Dawson. Most points wine: B Taylor. Best exhibit in stick dressing: R Cannan.

Horticultural – Most points vegetables: W Dawson. Most points cut flowers: M E Brown. Most points in floral art: V Lawson, H Lawson, E Warin.

Vintage – Tractors: M Casson, David Brown Selectamatic 770. Agricultural machinery: K Capstick, farm cart. Stationary engines: R Morphet, Lister D. Classic cars: B Heywood, Rover Clegg 12. Best exhibit: K Capstick, farm cart.